1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention relates to heat exchanger assemblies. More specifically the present invention relates to the combination of elements providing both an internal support for a heat exchanger and apparatus for maintaining wound fin tubing in an appropriate location.
2. Prior Art
Wound fin heat exchangers are well known in the refrigeration and air conditioning fields. A wound fin heat exchanger consists of a tube having fin material wrapped about the tube in heat exchange relation therewith to promote heat transfer between the fluid flowing through the tube and a separate fluid flowing over the tube. The utilization of this type of heat exchanger, wound fin, has been found to be both cost effective and to provide the appropriate amount of heat transfer with a minimum of tube length. A type of wound fin tubing includes slit fin tubing wherein a sheet of fin material is slit laterally and then rolled into a generally U shaped arrangement such that the non-slit portion is wound against the tube and the slit portions extend outwardly therefrom.
To make advantageous use of wound fin heat exchangers it is necessary that the heat exchanger be configured to optimize heat transfer. Once the appropriate configuration is ascertained the wound fin tubing should then be maintained in that configuration for the life of the heat exchanger.
There have been several methods used for mechanically securing heat exchange elements. However the prominent methods heretofore used in the air conditioning industry for securing adjacent coils of a wound fin heat exchanger include using adhesives or mechanically deforming the coil beyond the point of elasticity such that a new configuration is maintained.
The herein disclosed apparatus not only serves to provide a support which mechanically locates and secures wound fin tubing in a desired location but additionally acts as a structural element of the heat exchanger assembly.